The Mayor’s Climate Action Plan calls for eliminating half of all greenhouse gas emissions in the City and aims for all electricity used in the city to be from renewable sources by 2035. The plan will go before the City Council’s Environment Committee on Monday, Nov. 30, and likely go before the full City Council in December.

With broad support from the environmental community, business community and City Council leaders, Mayor Faulconer released a draft form of the Climate Action Plan for public review in September 2014. The final draft version has minor technical changes and other adjustments to take into account new state laws.

“This plan strikes the right balance between protecting our environment and growing our economy,” Mayor Faulconer said. “San Diego's environmental and business communities are once again taking the exceptional step of joining together in support of this plan because we all agree that clean technology, renewable energy and economic growth are vital to our city's future. We’re going to hand down to our children a San Diego that is cleaner than it was when we received it.”

The plan also clearly identifies steps the City of San Diego can take to achieve the 2035 targets. That list includes crafting an ordinance that requires developers to install conduit for solar and electric vehicle charging stations in new construction; creating a renewable energy program; developing a zero waste plan; and changing policy to have a majority of the City’s fleet be electric vehicles.

The Climate Action Plan helps achieve the greenhouse gas reduction targets set forth by the state of California. The City’s first Climate Action Plan was approved in 2005 and a commitment to update the plan was included in the City’s 2008 General Plan update.

What people are saying about the Climate Action Plan

Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer: “San Diego is a city that innovates. We are a city that leads. We are a city where our environment is central to our quality of life. That’s why I’m proud to advance a plan that will help our communities thrive and create the green jobs of tomorrow.”

City Council President Sherri S. Lightner: “As a Councilmember representing our coastal communities, I have long advocated for the City of San Diego to adopt a Climate Action Plan to help protect our environment for decades to come."

City Councilmember Todd Gloria: “This plan demonstrates that San Diego is a progressive leader in addressing climate change. We value our people and our environment enough to commit to aggressive, measurable outcomes.”

Nicole Capretz, executive director of the Climate Action Campaign: “This plan positions San Diego as the national leader in climate action by powering our lives with 100 percent locally made clean energy that ensures our air is clean and our water is healthy. We have embraced a yes-we-can attitude to protect the people and places we love from the dangers of a changing climate.”

Stephen Heverly, managing director of the Equinox Center: “Our research shows that most San Diegans drive alone to work, and we know that most of the City's greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation; this ambitious climate action plan will advance more transportation choices, reducing emissions and improving our region's quality of life.”

Matthew Adams, vice president of the Building Industry Association of San Diego County: “We appreciate the Mayor’s effort to craft a realistic and comprehensive Climate Action Plan to achieve state mandated greenhouse gas reductions. As the representatives of those who construct the most energy efficient buildings in the nation – if not the world – the BIA looks forward to a favorable Council decision on a program that meets those objectives.”

Chanelle Hawken, vice president of public policy for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce: “We applaud Mayor Faulconer's collaborative approach and focus on green jobs and technology. We look forward to the public discussion, and working to make San Diego the most business-friendly region in the state.”